Monday, July 6, 2009

Things from my yard....

I am trying to get a post ready to go before I have to get ready to go to Terre Haute. Wasn't sure what to post, but was out in the yard this morn so thought I would show you a few things I captured there.

First of all, here is my handsome kitty, Cougar. He seems to be fully recovered from his cold. He and all the cats were out there with me. Even Bubbie went outside, but he got in the Lily of the Valley and all you could see of him was just bits here and there.
Then we have this. Yep, it is a hornet's nest being built. It is on our old garage....right by the sidewalk we have to use to go to the new garage.
I was about two feet away taking these pictures. Which is fine in good weather. If we always had good weather I would just leave it. But when storms start moving in, it has been my experience that at least honey bees and these type of bees get a little bit meaner.
Do you wonder what I mean by 'my experience?' Well, we rented honey bees and had a hive or two near the blackberries when I worked at the orchard. They set just a few feet off the road...and lots of times I walked up to within 3 or 4 feet of them and they didn't seem to mind. Later on in the summer, a storm was moving in, and I was down there trying to get some blackberries picked, and I was at least 75-100 feet away from the hives and they came chasing me down. No joke. I had to run for my life....well, maybe not life. But I don't like to be stung. By anything.

Several times we had hornet's nests in the apple trees. One particular year, there was one in the Jonathan's....again, normally, I would get right up to them and them pay me no mind. This one day I was picking, and just something about the way they were keeping vigil, I didn't even pick on the tree they were in. I got the one before it and the one after it. I was okay...but I forgot to tell Michael who took over when I left. So he came down the other side of the row...and he got stung two or three times. I guess the storm was closer, because they got after him a couple trees away.

Since those times, I give all bees lots of room if the weather is changing...
Notice the sacs on this bee...
And notice the tomatoes....not a single one is ripe. At least of the regular tomatoes. We did bring one of the little cherry tomatoes in. But have not eaten it.

Not sure when I will be back on...not sure if I am bringing Lorelei here in the morn or just staying at Sarah's.

New to me

The bottom one is some kind of thistle...its heads are not very big at all. The one above I do not know but I think it is pretty.